


You've Got A Habit of Leaving

by aireyv



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: M/M, Unresolved Romantic Tension, hand-holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-22 19:58:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13771428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aireyv/pseuds/aireyv
Summary: You could go on if you wanted to.





	You've Got A Habit of Leaving

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another #MGS Offscreen scrap finding new life in the Wintergames. (Context behind this one: Liquid has just been discharged from an extended stay at the veterans' hospital, following treatment for wounds - including broken legs - sustained as a POW in Iraqi.)

“You’re late,” Liquid said.

“I arrived exactly when I said I would,” Mantis said. “Just because you didn’t wait for me doesn’t make me late.”

Liquid dismissively glanced behind him at the hospital. “I couldn’t stand being in the damned place any longer.”

“I’m surprised they’re letting you out so soon,” Mantis said as the two of them began to walk away from the building. Liquid still had a pronounced limp, and leaned heavily on a cane, although he could easily keep up with Mantis’ long legs through the apparent sheer force of stubbornness.

“It’s not as though I _asked_ to leave early,” Liquid sniffed. Although the only reason why hadn’t pushed the issue was because Mantis had warned him about fucking up his legs forever if he refused to cooperate with the medical attention…

“They felt as though there was nothing else they could really do for you,” Mantis said, after checking the mind of the doctor who had once told Liquid he’d never walk normally again.

“That’s true. There isn’t.”

“So what now?”

Liquid sighed. “The WPA has set me up with a pension and a flat not far from here. I suppose the SAS is still trying to figure out what to do with me… in the meantime, I’m supposed to come back to the hospital every few days for physical therapy and checkups and whatnot, and…”

“…try to integrate into civilian society,” Mantis finished for him.

“…” Liquid knocked a can out of his path with the butt of his cane. “That would be nice, wouldn’t it?” he said with a hollow scoff, “a _normal_ life… just think, Mantis, I could leave all of this behind me. Retire. Forget I was literally created for war - a weapon - I could be a _normal_ person instead, if I just try. I’ll integrate into civilian society; I’ll adjust to a civilian life!”

There was brief pause.

“It’s not going to work,” they both said at the same time.

Liquid laughed, in spite of himself.

“You’re going to make some kind of half-hearted attempt anyway, aren’t you?” Mantis said.

“Maybe,” Liquid said. “It’s true that until I can get off this cane, there won’t really _be_ anything else for me to do. I’m just playing the waiting game, now…”

Mantis tilted his head at him. “You’re going to get bored and restless and you’re going to start drinking and picking fights with random people off the street.” Liquid rolled his eyes. “If nothing else, Liquid, stay away from the alcohol. If you start, it’ll end up being all you do."

“Alright, alright,” Liquid huffed, “I’ll pick fights with random people off the street completely sober, then.”

Mantis was satisfied with that. “I suppose your plans after your legs heal all have to do with whether or not the SAS decides to discharge you?”

“Something like that. Even if they don’t discharge me, I was considering leaving anyway. As far as I know that SIS would still love to have me, but… well, I haven’t thought about it too hard, to be honest. I’m not sure I _want_ to be beholden to any government anymore.”

“Thinking about going down the mercenary path?”

“If I can’t stay off the battlefield - I might as well.” They stopped in front of a dreary-looking brick building. “Well, this is home,” Liquid said sardonically.

“Try not to go _completely_ stir-crazy in there,” Mantis said. He half-turned to leave; he really didn’t have a lot of time to spend in London right now.

“You’ll visit, won’t you?” Liquid said abruptly, his eyes fixed on the housing complex.

Mantis studied Liquid’s face for a moment. “Of course I will. As often as my job permits.” _Damned if I’ll be leaving you alone again_ , he thought.

Liquid hesitated, then reached out and grabbed Mantis’ hand, lacing their fingers together and squeezing warmly. He didn’t need to say anything out loud for Mantis to know how grateful he was that Mantis had been so often by his side during his recovery in the hospital, and how relieved he was that Mantis was going to _stay_ by his side. Mantis didn’t even have to read his mind to know that, either.

Then he dropped his hand, as suddenly as he had held it, and strode (well, as much as someone with such a heavy limp _could_ stride) towards the entrance of the building, saying curtly, “Then I’ll be seeing you soon, Mantis. Have a good day.”

“Of course,” Mantis said, “you too.”


End file.
